Programme
Lam Bun-Ching: Symphonic Suite Joy
Xian Xinghai / Arr. Yin Chengzong: Piano Concerto The Yellow River
I. Stravinsky: The Firebird Suite (1919)
In honour of the 120th anniversary of Xian Xinghai’s birth, this special concert will bring together the power of tradition, revolution, and imagination in one remarkable evening of music. The programme pays tribute to the legacy of a towering figure in Chinese music history while tracing the enduring power of symphonic storytelling across cultures.
Featuring local young talent Cheong Hoi Leong, the piano concerto The Yellow River is an iconic and stirring adaptation of Xian’s homonymous cantata, which captures the spirit of resilience and unity that defines the Chinese nation.
Complementing this masterpiece is Lam Bun-Ching’s symphonic suite Joy, an exclusive commission by the Macao Orchestra world-premiered back in March at the Cultural Centre. Her music weaves together traditional Chinese elements with modern orchestral techniques, creating a vibrant musical tapestry, reflecting Macao’s distinctive cultural identity.
Stravinsky’s lush Firebird Suite, a work that revolutionised the 20th-century orchestral soundscape, offers a dramatic counterpoint to the concert’s first half, underscoring the universality of myth, resistance, and rebirth in global music traditions.
Conductor: Adrien Perruchon
Cheong Hoi Leong, Piano
Macao Orchestra
Approximately 1 hour and 30minutes, including one interval
120th Anniversary of Xian Xinghai’s Birth The Yellow River